Friday, June 10, 2016

Riding the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail should be on every cyclist's 'must do' list

If you're looking for a way to satisfy your urge to ride
your bike through areas that offer the best that nature
has to offer, the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath in
Cuyahoga Valley National Park may be exactly
where you need to go.

Along a once-great canal system, with several towns nearby, and located in the
heartland of America, is a place of perfect serenity and natural beauty with
wetlands, forests, and fields, and a river that has attracted people to it for
many a millennium.

The canal system that once existed in this pristine paradise was known as the
Ohio & Erie Canal and while only remnants of the canal still exist today,
the tow paths that ran alongside it, that were originally used by horses or
mules towing barges, are now popular multi-use trails that attract cyclists,
runners, and others to the incredibly scenic area, a portion of which is in
Cuyahoga Valley and in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath is
extremely popular and is perfect
for a nice, leisurely bike ride.

The name “Cuyahoga,” is said to have originally come from Native American
Indians and it translates to the word, “crooked,” which accurately describes
the Cuyahoga River and how it weaves its way, twisting and turning, at the base
of hills and valleys, as it travels over 90 miles of terrain in a U shape from its headwaters 30 miles east
of Cleveland south to Akron, Ohio.

The river then makes a U turn and flows north through downtown Cleveland and finally into Lake Erie. The overall U shape, along with the crooked path, is how it earned its name.

The towpath trail, as of today, is approximately 85 miles long and it is one of
Ohio’s longest, most scenic, and one of the more popular trails in the
region.It was voted 2015 ‘Best of Ohio’
Bike Trail by readers of Ohio Magazine.

The towpath trail is currently about 85 miles long, but,
when all is said and done, it is expected to be 110
miles long, altogether.

“People love this trail.The section in
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is about 20 miles from Rockside Road in Cleveland
to Bath Road in Akron and we get over two million visitors to our national park
each year with a large percentage who also visit the towpath trail,” Pamela
Barnes said.

Barnes is the Cuyahoga National Park Community Engagement Supervisor.

“The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is not yet complete, but it will
eventually be 110 miles long, from Cleveland to New Philadelphia.Progress is being made, and the section in
downtown Cleveland, for example, is making some headway and people can keep up
with any updates on the progress of this by going to the Ohio & Erie Canalway’s website,” Barnes said.

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park has over 2 million
visitors each year, many of whom either ride their
bikes, run, or walk on the towpath whenever they do
come.

The Canalway’s website is also a good source for finding out about the many
connections that there are to the towpath, according to Barnes.There is also a Buckeye Trail that, like
the towpath, is one of the 125 miles of trails that run throughout the park.

For the most part, the towpath trail is also relatively flat, which makes it
very appealing to people of all ages, particularly those who prefer a more
leisurely and recreational type of bike ride.

Visitors to the towpath can see a very diverse landscape
with wetlands, forests, and fields that are home to a
great variety and abundance of different types of
plants, trees, and wildlife.

“The trail does have some paved sections and the unpaved sections have crushed
limestone, which is very smooth so it is not a problem for cyclists.It is also very popular with runners as well
since it is a softer surface for them,” Barnes said.

The trail is also open all year-round and the park service does not clear the
snow since that makes it more attractive for those who want to do some
cross-country skiing on it.

There are many places for visitors to
see along the towpath to include the
Boston Store, which can be seen in
the background.

In warmer weather, when cyclists and others come to the Cuyahoga National Park,
there is no shortage of things for them to check out and see while they are
there.

“Our newest attraction in the park is the Canal Exploration Center.It is right next to Lock 38 along the towpath and it contains hands-on
exhibits that tell the story of the canals in Ohio.Outside, Lock 38 is a working lock and on
weekends in the summer, costumed staff and volunteers demonstrate the operation
of the lock,” Barnes said.

Cyclists and others on the towpath will see the remnants
of the Ohio & Erie Canal with markers that provide
details and historical information for those who are
interested in learning more about them.

Remnants of the Ohio & Erie Canal can be found
along the towpath and throughout the Cuyahoga
Valley National Park. This is one of the locks
located near the Boston Store.

“There is also, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad which operates an extremely popular
‘Bike Aboard’ program.For $3, cyclists
can ride the towpath in one direction, put their bicycle on the train and then ride
the train back to their car from there.It runs Wednesday through Sunday.” Barnes added.

Conservation efforts to restore the natural beauty surrounding the towpath
trails, and to protect against the encroachment of development, began over 40
years ago when individuals united together with state and local governments to
save the precious greenspace and to preserve the area’s history.

Visitors to the towpath are rarely far from the Cuyahoga
River, which was an essential part of the Ohio & Erie
Canal system. Most of the towpath is flat and it is
either paved or has crushed limestone on it.

“The 33,000-acre national park was established in 1974, and we worked to
restore our section of the trail, which opened in 1993.The designation of National Heritage Area
makes funding available for restoration of other sections.Local Metropark systems have taken on
restoring and maintaining the sections within their own jurisdictions,” Barnes
said.

“There are a lot of wonderful trails in Ohio, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath
Trail is a great example of how groups working together can help to maintain an
asset and accomplish something that can promote the health and wellness of the
people of northeast Ohio,” she added.

A concerted effort by citizens, local, and
state government over 40 years ago
helped to save the greenspace and the
history that visitors can now
appreciate and enjoy today.

Cyclists who ride the towpath should find it to be a very pleasant and
enjoyable experience, but Barnes recommends that there are a few things that
they should keep in mind that will make it a safer experience for them and
others.

“Cyclists should always wear a helmet, stay to the right and warn others that
they are passing.They should also yield
to horses since there are a few places that intersect with horse trails, and
they should slow down in congested areas where there may be people walking, who
have strollers, and young children with them,” Barnes said.

The towpath is one of the longest and most popular trails in
Ohio. Visitors can easily get on to it from numerous access
points along the way.

“Also, if cyclists are listening to music, they should keep one ear open to
hear what is going on around them and they should be careful when coming up to
wooden bridges or boardwalks since they can be slippery when wet,” she added.

In addition to dozens of things to see and do in the Cuyahoga Valley National
Park, there are some current and future amenities that should be of great
interest to cyclists who want to have an extended visit there.

The towpath is especially enticing to cyclists, along with
those who would prefer to run or walk on it throughout
the year, but it is particularly popular on weekends and
holidays in the warmer weather months.

“There are plans for more infrastructure for those who would like to take
multi-day trips.We already have 6
back-country campsites that cyclists can use for this purpose, which are
located just north of the Boston Store Visitor Center.They are accessed by a short connector trail
from the towpath.They can be reserved
through the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley
National Park,”
Barnes said.

Whether it is for a short or long visit, cyclists who come and ride the Ohio
and Erie Canal Towpath trail will likely not leave without wanting to come back
again in the future and it should definitely be on the 'must do' list for those who have never been there and experienced it for themselves.

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About Me

I am a long-time resident of Memphis, Tennessee. I had a long active duty military career and I am now a student at the University of Memphis. I am married to a native Memphian who is a retired Memphis City School teacher. When I am not busy, or in school, you will likely find me out riding my bike or jogging around my East Memphis neighborhood. If you would like to learn more of my passion for cycling, you can follow me on twitter at - https://twitter.com/memphiscyclist, or you can check out my cycling website - http://memphiscyclist.com. If you have any questions or comments about my blogs, my website or about Memphis cycling, please feel free to contact me at mikel5061@yahoo.com.